Meet The Moderators

Hey everyone, some of you guys know us, but this thread is meant to give everyone a little more info on the T'bricks mod team.

Name- Patrick Pieper
Age- 20



I've been around cars almost my whole life. I was a motorsports fanatic from age 3 to about 12, I'd never miss a race on TV or at one of the nearby tracks [Sears Point and Laguna Seca] be it NASCAR, CART, IMSA etc. Around age 12 I started skateboarding and that became a major part of my life and racing/cars faded out of the picture. When I turned 16 I got my first set of wheels [a 1997 Dodge Dakota 4x4 with the 5.2 V8, single cab short bed]. Shortly after, I broke my ankle skateboarding, and afterwards I never really got back into it the way I once was. I turned once again to cars.

I began working at saving money towards my first "car". I was looking at Merkur XR4TI's, Datsun Z's and DSM's, until one day I discovered that the Volvo 240 [a car that I had recently been turned on to by a hot girl I knew who owned one] came in a turbocharged+intercooled, two door coupe version. I immediatly set out to find myself one, and after 6 months of not being able to find one, and losing an auction for an 83' Flathood by $5, I settled for a stock 83' 244 Turbo in January 2003 from a fellow T'bricker Oskar [Noslovo].

Since purchasing it, I have done, well, alot to it. I've had my ups and downs with it but I don't regret a single thing, it has been one of the funnest experiances of my life owning this car. Here is some information on it http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=43122

In September 2003, I moved from Aptos, CA to Phoenix, AZ to attend Universal Technical Institute, where I have since graduated from [spring 2005] and earned an Associates Degree of Occupational Studies, among many Ford and Volvo manufacturor certifications.

In July 2004, some might say I joined the "dark side". I got a 2000 V70R for a very good deal. It has served as my daily driver the whole time, although I have been pretty active on Volvospeed, and learning much knowledge about these newer Volvo's, which were once a big question mark to me. I kept it stock for a long time, and have just started to dip into modding it, check it out here - http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=53040

I considor myself quite knowledgable in the following subjects

-Redblock performance
-Whiteblock performance
-Suspension upgrades
-General Maintenence ["stage 0"] stuff
-Diagnosis and repair
-Making Sandwiches [I currently work in a deli]
-Waking up at noon

I considor myself good at most other car related stuff for the most part.

Aside from cars, I enjoy- photography, partying, girls, boo'ing the Los Angeles Dodgers, surfing and playing rugby.

If you've ever got any car or sandwich related questions, feel free to PM me or shoot me an IM [brickster151 on aim]

Now its my turn!

Name: Andy May
Age: 18

I'd post a picture but almost every picture around is of my back while I'm working on a car.

Born and bred in Richmond, VA I've grown up a life in a pretty car-heavy place. Everything from NASCAR to IHRA hits home every year. Too bad my family never was into it.

I really just fell into cars. I loved Matchbox cars as a kid. I've still got several hundred of them around (I collected them. They're all nicely organized in cases.) My brother subscribed to Car and Driver and Road and Track so there was always some nice car reading material around. The rest of it was pure nature.

Ever since I was a little tiny kid, I've tinkered with everything I could get my hands on. I loved cutting the grass because I loved driving the lawn mower. I loved taking things I could find around the house and taking them apart to see how they work, and then see if I could figure out how to put them back together (Believe it or not, 9 times out of 10 I was successful on the first try. I almost never couldn't get things back together after I tried a few times.) When I was 6 years old, I started spending time on a farm helping out a friend near my grandmother's house where I reside for the summer. All of the cars, trucks and tractors attracted me immediately, but what kept my attention was helping out to keep everything running. I've worked on the farm ever since, and it has provided me opportunities to figure out how to work on anything and everything from ATV's to cranes, Caterpillars to barges, Dump trucks to tractors, and most everything else in between you could ever imagine, including a few NO2 powered drag bikes and trucks, and a fishing boat featuring a built 305.

Today I find myself tinkering with every vehicle I can. None of my vehicles are stock

I still work on the farm whenever I get a chance, but since then I've done stints in shops working on Volvos, modifying and maintaining Porsches, body and frame repair and general maintenance. Currently my schedule doesn't allow me to work in the scheduled environment of a shop, so I do work on my own. I do custom fabrication, performance, maintenance, audio/video installation, and repair. Pretty much I typically go by the theory that there is no job too large or too small for me to be able to do, although sometimes I do outsource to prevent messing up high risk things. Some of these things include a few F+T projects, restoring a 1967 Mustang, working to maintain a former ITB 240 (Still on the track), repairing several wrecked cars (Including the full ground up front end rebuild of my 850R), modifying many Volvos and lots of local off-road rig projects.

My first vehicle was a 1989 Suburban. My dad had bought it new, and, well, it didn't last me long. It was crushed by the wrath of a hurricane, that also killed my other toy that I was obtaining at the time from my uncle, a black on black 1987 BMW 325IS 5speed. This left me getting the 1999 Suburban from my dad as a gift, and taking the insurance money from the 89 for a new vehicle. That new ride ended up being my white 1996 850R, obtained in April 2004. Currently I sport the Suburban daily, the 850R on weekends, and my 1987 244 is nearing completion as my race car. On the farm I have a few cars waiting in the weeds, including a 1989 745GLE, a 1964 CJ-5, and some other stuff.

This coming year, my '87 and I are working on getting my NASA competitive racing license, so look for me in the track in '06! Also, if you're in the Richmond area, you may see me around town at car events. I make an effort to make it out to many of the events that happen locally, including car meets, drag races, autocrosses, drift events, road races and all sorts of things that happen around here.

I find myself to be pretty experienced in:
-Engine performance - Redblock, Whiteblock, and other forms
Naturally aspirated and boosted
-General maintenance
Including problem diagnosis and repair
-Suspension/steering/brake modifications
No I'm not Mike Perry but I know some...
-General automotive stuff outside of the Volvo world

I'm currently expanding my experience with programmable fuel management systems and engine tuning, which will be seen over the course of the next year as all of my vehicles go to some form of standalone or piggyback.

Away from cars (I rarely do get away really...) I like:
GIRLS! Girls! girls! (Well, Girl....)
Boating and fishing
Computers
Woodworking and metal fabrication
Working out
Music
Goofing off/being goofy/just hanging out/having a good time

If you ever need anything or have any sorts of car or general questions about anything, my AIM is [mayday121] and I'm on there when I'm around (Or on and away when I'm not). I'm not a scary person to talk to......Ok maybe I can be scary, but not intimidating!

Long Post. Little Content

My name is Mike Perry. I am a mammal.
I don?t really like to talk about myself, but here is a short synopsis.

Born 2nd July, 1962. I call Delaware home even though I never legally lived there. My social security code is Delaware, I went to high school in Delaware, and my grandmother lived there. I grew up (mostly) a half mile or so from the Delaware line, and that?s how far I am from it right now. I also spent a lot of time on the rivers and ponds of Maryland.
Delaware is a car-freak zone. Dirt tracks everywhere, a drag and circle track so close I can hear it at night. Mud hops. Tractor pulls. Car shows and cruises in Ocean City (the other OC). I lives for one year in the DC area, and it made me appreciate this area more.
Lots of people home-brew their stuff here. The most amazing thing is how everyone knows everyone else, and how friendly they are. It has changed some, and there are plenty of morons, but it?s mostly cool. It?s also a little disconcerting to outsiders, to have all these strangers acting like they know you.

I have ADD, a bit of dyslexia, a photographic memory, and asthma.
I wrestled in school, play soccer, ride bikes, and coached rec. league soccer for 8 years or so. I dropped out of academia to take auto body classes my sophomore through senior years.
I worked as an auto and truck tech from 1980 to 1995 full time.
Taught community college auto mechanics part-time 5 years, at the same time worked in a TV station as a crew chief/photographer.
Started teaching high school auto mechanics in 1995, which is what I still do. I have been told I have a knack for special education, enrichment for bright students, tying in other teaching areas, and dealing with troubled students. It is the hardest job in the world sometimes, but it can also be the best.

I really like figuring out how things work. I can?t leave things alone. Sometimes I manage, but rarely. I especially like the physical science aspects of things. My grandmother, despite being a Bible-thumping Baptist, bought me science books. She rocked.

I like all cars. I don?t even hate the cars I claim to, I just think the companies blew it on the designs. I will drive any car as hard as it is capable of going, and enjoy the hell out of it. I don?t discriminate. The big 3, the European and Japanese, the British cars, all are cool. I don?t understand a person who thinks they are better because they own a certain type of car.

I like art and music. These are things I grew up around. I like all types for the most part.

I like helping people. I believe people should help others without thinking of rewards.

I love going fast. It really doesn?t matter how it happens, either. I especially like low-traction conditions. I appreciate power, but a lack of power is a challenge, not a handicap.

I don?t really work on automatic transmissions. I haven?t tuned an aftermarket engine management system yet. Other than that I am good to go.
I was a master ASE auto, truck, and auto body tech in 1990 or so, which made me one of 90 in the country who were certified in all the areas. They called it ?triple master? and I got a certificate saying I was in the automotive hall of fame. Whatever.. Since then they have added areas.

I was told once that I was insane to offer to help moderate OT. I guess I honestly like the people here, and it need not make sense. Besides, Turbobricks is one of those internet phenomena that defy description. Rock on, people.

oldie but a good one I think.

Not sure how much you really need to know about me but, Im a Sacramento, CA native. Born and lived here my entire life. Been wrenching for just over 10 years now... probably 6 of which ended in cars that 60 percent of the time ran every time.

Im the resident FWD moron lately (well EricF and I). Before that it was a 242 with goodies.



out with the old ^^^ in with the new \/ \/ \/


Things I tend to rave about
1. better brakes than stock
2. bovs are fine on all volvo OEM ECU's
3. TUNING
4. "Stage 0"

things I used to rant about
1. m46's suck
2. volvos wiring (240's) sucks
3. 850's are underbraked (wait I still do)
4. I hate people who classify everything as rice (still do)

The upsides to this is I heavily document anything I do (cause I'm vain ). Watch my sig for threads to my latest projects or check out these links:
http://www.forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=45457 242 build up thread
http://www.forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=42864 overview of the T5R

theres others but they tend to get lost over time. So I blog some of them here:
http://rkforum.boardsxp.com/index.php

Doug

Name: Edward

Age: 43

Army of clones: Three Fat Tigers, Chemical Spill, ROARster, SonofaVader, Mr. Resistor, Testosteroni, TH0UGHT P0LICE, and a host of others I'm sure I've forgotten.

Proficiency: pretty much everything, well anything I try, I am a god you know

Occupation: posting on Volvo boards, playing video games, and watching anime. In my spare time I design access databases, program systems and write code.

Cars: '96 MX5 Ryoko. Volvos: '84 242Ti (work in progress), '90 764Ti (work in progress), '92 245, '94 944T, '96 960 Other: '83 Renault R5 (only 38k miles but has been in storage so long it now needs restoring, to bad I've lost my taste for things that are French); and have owned quite a number of 240 Volvos & VWs.

Hobbies: computer animation, modifying cars, driving my roadster, member of Team Hurl & Blue Ridge Miata Club, raising tigers, home improvement, restoration: you name it: cars electronics, et cetera

Photo:

Story: (severely abbreviated) born in Manhattan to truly impressive and wonderful parents, grew up in Dallas, went to lousy schools, have since lived in VA Beach, Charlotte, Lynchburg, Dallas, Lynchburg, Dallas, Lynchburg. Have worked in almost all aspects of theater/stage/concert/television production; classic car restoration including VW, Triumph, Jaguar, Volvo; repairing and building cars (mostly VW & Volvos); worked in stock market, selling mutual funds, researching stock equity; building & programming computer systems, modifying and tailoring software to client needs for automation and maximum efficiency; too many other jobs to list; self employed since '93 as Access database developer, network manager, and systems programmer.

Mission statement: I am just grateful for the opportunity to help those in need in any way I can.

Credits: all the credit for my life and success goes to my wonderful heavenly Father, all that Jesus has done for me, and the quiet instructions I receive from the Holy Spirit on every project I work on.

Right, I guess it’s my turn to post in here so here goes.

Name: Ryan

Age: 25

Location: I’ve lived all my life in Lincoln, UK (in the middle and to the right)

Proficiency: Computers pretty much though mostly Windows stuff.

Occupation: Assistant Support Manager, helping run a department of 20 support guys, looking after 1200 pc’s and tills.

Hobbies: Modifying Volvos (of course), computers of any sort, having a laugh with people, enjoying life and make the best of any situation.

Photo: (about 1 year old)


Story: Born in Lincoln, UK. Went to a local school until I was 18, then left for work at an admin/insurance company. Started working in IT support at 19 and moved to my current employer at 20. I’ve worked my way up through the expanding department to my current position. I am able to get on well with nearly everyone, can communication well with everyone and see to find computers good fun to work with so I guess that’s why I’m managed to do well (in my eyes). I have recently brought a house with a fellow Tbricker (Foggyjames) after living in Newark with him for a year. Due to high house prices, this was the best way of getting on the property ladder for the both of us.

I learnt to drive at the age of 20, having not really been into cars that much. Once I was driving, I’ve owned several cars, ranging from a Citroen bx 1.9TD Estate, a rover 416I saloon, a Volvo 740td estate (my Dad’s old car and had been in the family about 11 years) and now my Volvo 744ti.

I found Turbobricks just after getting my first 740, and went to a meet in the first month in Wales and due to the small number of UK T’brickers, I think I have met most of them.

I think that’s it, if you have any questions, pm on here, im me on either msn(1straven, ryan@ryanniblett.co.uk) or aol (onestraven), drop me an email at ryan@ryanniblett.co.uk or visit my website at http://www.ryanniblett.co.uk

thought i'd use ryans format.

Name: Mike

Age: currently 31 (32 closing fast)

Location: Rhyl northern wales, but lived most of my life in various parts of greater manchester with about 4 years in ireland as a kid (dads family) and about 8months up in yorkshire.

Occupation: I've been working in mental Health for 6 years now but doing some training to get out of and into IT.

Hobbies: Just got back into a volvo again after a 10month sabbatical driving a BMW 325i E30, previously owned a 87 745 turbo, 1979 242 16V, 1981 244DL with many alterations and base model 1989 740 with the marvelous B230K. used to be seriously into mountain biking but presently without. good with computers and anything mechanical (every male for the past 300years on my mothers side has been an engineer so i guess it's inbuilt)

Photo: